


Nicknames

by loserrobin



Series: Ted Kord's Underrated Character Exploration [1]
Category: DCU (Comics), Justice League International (Comics)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bullying, Canon verse, Canonical Character Death, Death of a Parent, Gen, Nightmares, brief description of a nightmare
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2019-12-22
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:48:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21896188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/loserrobin/pseuds/loserrobin
Summary: Concept : Ted adjusts to his hardships in life.Setting : Canon verse.Warning : Bullying, death of a parent, brief description of a nightmare, happy ending.Word Count : 430.
Series: Ted Kord's Underrated Character Exploration [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1577260
Kudos: 5





	Nicknames

“Teddy!” His mother calls for him, deep amusement in her voice.

He runs, shoes kicking up dirt. She catches her bundle of joy in her arms, laughing even if there are dusty stains on his shorts and mud on his right knee. She listens to his excitable chatter about earthworms and cicadas, about the pill bugs and ant hills he found. She kisses his brow, picks him up and carries him inside.

Ted Kord loses his mother when he is seven to cancer. He no longer answers to her nickname. He cries into his nanny’s lap one nights that he misses her.

“Smelly Teddy,” his school bullies sneer at him when he is nine. He wails and runs, but he cannot escape the pain of their cruelty.

He dreams of his favorite color blue : the color of the sky, the color of the ocean, the color of his mother’s eyes. He holds onto the memory of her voice.

When he takes on the moniker of Blue Beetle, he thinks it’s a new start. He’s struggling to be recognized as a hero, to work with his fellow leaguers without feeling inadequate. He feels like he has a lot to prove, tries to have fun while he does it.

During nights of doubt that seep into his dreams, he has nightmares of failing. The shape of his mother reaches out to him, but she melts into small bugs before he can get to her. The shiny backs of blue beetles begin to crawl all over his skin, beat their tiny legs against his face. Wake up, Teddy, they cry out in long, high-pitched insect-sounding screeches. _Wake up and face the world._

After a long mission, he’s tired, aching deep in his bones, ready to call it a day. He doesn’t expect Batman to stop him for a few words.

“You did good today,” that deep, growly baritone praises him.

The tight feeling in his chest unfurls a little and he smiles as he watches his companion walk off. He plans to go home, binge watch the Jurassic Park movies with a bowl of popcorn and maybe get no sleep while working in his office afterwards.

“Hey, Teddy,” the familiar voice of Booster Gold cuts through his thoughts. “Wanna go to the movies with me? I heard they got Godzilla in 3D playing!”

Ted pauses and doesn’t feel sickness clog his throat when he says,” Awesome suggestion!”

His bestfriend beams bright, glowing as he slings an arm across Ted’s shoulders. “This is why we work so well. Our next mission : soda and popcorn!”

**Author's Note:**

> If you like what you read, check out my other drabbles and profile! You can find me on twitter and tumblr under the same @.


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